Returned Too Late
by Kirsty Joy
Summary: Marian agrees to Guy's request  'Walkabout'  only to have the Sheriff return right after the ceremony. Meanwhile, Robin plans to use Marian's life as a bargaining chip just once more, but discovers that there was more to Guy's trip to Acre than he knew...
1. Chapter 1

'There is something so invigorating about starting a new story - to know that anything can happen in the pages ahead... and the fates of [your characters] balance on a single stroke of your pen' - JMP

Obviously there is quite a bit of recap in this first chapter. Most of what is written herein belongs to the Robin Hood BBC episode 'Walkabout'. You will probably understand the story better if you have watched the Robin Hood series up to that episode, as there are many references to past episodes. :-)

I do not own any of the characters, and this is a Guy and Marian story - don't like, don't read. Please remember that this is my story and I am not going to change it because of any childish bullies, and do not leave rude or hateful reviews.

I hope that you enjoy this story! :-) Thanks for reading!

. . . .

Marian looked around at the people that filled the room; the type of people that, she was sure, had never before entered the castle in such numbers. Poor people, dirty people, scared people. The knowledge that Prince John's army was less than ten miles away was like the feeling of a noose drawing slowly closed around one's neck; there was little hope of escape, and the waiting was insufferable.

"There's no other way." Will's quiet voice broke through her thoughts.

"There has to be." she insisted, sounding more desperate than confident.

"Marian, there is a ring of steel around Nottingham!" a tone of exasperation became evident as he spoke; his promise to Robin to keep her safe no matter what was weighing on him more and more heavily as she continued to resist any suggestions that he made, "Even if we got beyond the walls we'd be cut down!"

"Than we will have to fight as best we can!" she turned to face him, wanting, needing reassurance, but he shook his head.

"Marian, you can't save these..." he glanced around and lowered his voice, "You can't save these people."

She took a deep breath as she turned away from him and made her way across the room, knowing that they were trapped but unable to say the words out loud.

"Look, much as I hate Gisborne," he followed her closely as he spoke the unwelcome words slowly, "You _have_ to marry him."

"No." but her conviction was growing weaker as she met his eyes again, her fears more for the people around her rather than the thought of marrying Gisborne.

"Wherever you go, where _ever_ you go Robin will move heaven and earth, he will find you," whatever conviction she lost he seemed to gain as he spoke, putting his hands on her shoulders as he put his rarely used persuasive powers to work; turning to follow her as she shrugged him off and continuing with a pleading sound in his voice, "Just stay alive!"

She shook her head with the lost look of one who does not know what to do as she walked away from him as fast as she could, trying to escape the feeling of helplessness; leaving him looking weary as he wished that Robin had not left him to do the job of keeping her alive alone.

"Marian, we're out of time; what's your decision?" Guy caught up with her as she walked out of the room and into the next.

"Well, I'm not walking out on these people." the feeling of constriction tightened in her chest as she repeated her resolve out loud.

"So you're going to stay?" Guy's face fell, the thought of her trapped inside of a burning castle was enough to make him want to forcibly remove her from the situation.

"Yes." she raised her chin in a slightly defiant movement, trying to hide her insecurity.

"_Woman_!" the hurt and fear in his eyes as he almost shouted the word almost made her reconsider, "Your willfulness will kill you!"

As he turned and almost ran out of the room, her eyes fell to the floor; his words had stung her more deeply than she would ever admit. Her father used to comment on her willfulness as well, and never in a very positive light.  
At that moment she questioned her decision making abilities more than she ever had before. Part of her wanted to run after him and tell him that she had changed her mind, or at the very least beg him to stay and fight with her.  
Shaking herself of the desire, she tightened up her jaw and raised her chin.

Resolving to make use of the Sheriff's absence she made her way towards his now unguarded room; if she survived this, she may as well have something to show Robin.  
Walking slowly around his room she took in the mess of blankets on his bed, the shoes on the floor and the makeshift piles of parchment here and there. Making her way over towards the intriguing papers, she rustled through them curiously - picking up and scanning first one and then another.

Dropping the papers with a disappointed sigh she continued around the room, even stooping and peeking inside the Sheriff's forgotten shoes. Pursing her lips, she gave one last glance around the room - grimacing as her eyes came in contact with the skull that he used for extra teeth.

The door swung shut behind her as she left, feeling considerably deflated.  
As she continued down the stairs, however, suddenly something came together in her mind and she turned around. Taking the steps two at a time, she raced back and flung the door open once more. Hurrying over to the skull, she shivered slightly as her fingers touched the unpleasant object; but as she lifted it she forgot about the symbol of death in her hands. A small piece of paper sat beneath - and the broken seal was the symbol of Prince John. An involuntary gasp escaped her lips as she quickly opened it and scanned the contents; now _this _would interest Robin!

Taking a deep breath, she replaced it and turned to go back to where Will continued to hand out weapons to the men and boys who filled the large room.

. . .

As he rode out of the gates, Guy's alone-ness weighed on him like a heavy blanket, and at that moment he would have traded the Sheriff, Locksley, and all of his possessions to have Marian riding beside him. In fact - if it meant that she would love him and that they could have a real life together - he would have given up just about anything.

Shaking his head to rid himself of such thoughts, Guy raised his chin as he reigned in his horse to meet the man who was going to raze Nottingham to the ground.

"And the woman?" Jasper - the messenger from Prince John who had caused all of this havoc - asked, raising an eyebrow.

Guy's eyes dropped for a moment.

"Marian," he clarified, studying the nobleman carefully, "Is she leaving with you?"

"She will not abandon Nottingham." Guy said quietly, raising his chin and his gaze once more to meet that of the man who held the power to destroy everything he loved.

A mirthless chuckle proceeded out of the other man's mouth, "Imbecile."

Guy suddenly knew what he had to do. "And without her," his conviction grew as he spoke, "My world might as well turn to ash."

The soldiers watched in disbelief as he turned his horse around and rode back through the gates that shut behind him; going back to certain death for the one person that had managed to unwittingly warm his heart for the first time since he had lost both of his parents and his sister more than fifteen years before.  
Her betrayal at the alter had almost stamped out his high opinion of her, but had failed to quench his love. Now he was once more risking his life and defying the prince that he and the Sheriff had worked so hard to place on the throne; throwing away all of his dreams of grandeur and power, for the slight chance that she might - with his help - be able to survive the day.

Spurring his horse on faster and faster as he heard the large gates swing shut and knew that he was out of eye-shot, he made his way toward the castle - toward Marian - as fast as he could. Reaching the courtyard he swung himself out of the saddle, leaving his horse to fend for itself as he sprinted up the stairs towards the grand hall where the people stood ready to fight with her.

. . .

Finished making sure that everyone able to carry a weapon was armed, Marian went in search of Will. As the sun continued to swing lower in the sky, a desperate need not to be alone began to consume her and the quiet man was the only logical comfort.

After spotting him, Marian was making her way through the peasants crowding the room when they were all arrested by the sound of running feet. Glancing out the window, her heart shivered as she saw the last rays of the setting sun filtering through the window.

. . .

"Marian!" Guy yelled, bursting the doors open - scaring everyone inside nearly to death - and not stopping until he reached the railing and was able to see her upturned face brightening as she saw him.

"You came back." saying the unbelievable words warmed her heart, and the smile that graced her face was open and welcoming in stark contrast to her usual civil coolness.

"If I'm going to die," he had eyes only for her as he spoke the words aloud, "I'm going to die by your side."

At that moment her regard for him grew in leaps and bounds, and a feeling that was usually unrelated to him welled up in her heart.

His eyes crinkled up in an answering smile for a split second before he drew his sword fiercely, "To arms!"

Needing to be near him, she climbed the steps and solemnly took his arm - showing her thanks without speaking a word. As her hand touched him, he knew what he had to ask - the direness of the circumstances doing away with the pride that would have kept him from repeating the question.

"Marry me now," he whispered hoarsely, keeping his eyes on the doorway where they would soon be charging the enemy, "And make it the last thing we do? Let's steal that from them at least."

He turned and met her eyes with a new boldness born of the knowledge that these were their last minutes on earth. The words did not come as a surprise to her, but what astonished her was that she almost welcomed the sound of them. A non-committal smile came across her face and then she nodded, the smile becoming warmer and more genuine. As the shadow of impending doom drew closer, her objections to him seemed to fade into the past; she didn't want to - couldn't - be alone when she died.

"Very well," she nodded, her eyes solemn in spite of her smile - showing that she had accepted the fact that this day would be the end of her story, "But we should hurry; we haven't got much time."

Momentary disbelief that flashed across his face, followed closely by a warmth and love that shocked her with it's strength.

. . . .

Well? If you enjoyed it, please let me know. :-) Next installment coming up soon...


	2. Chapter 2

Yay! Chapter 2!

. . . .

"Lady Marian," the priest looked at her seriously, "We do not have much time, but are you absolutely certain?"

A picture of Robin flashed through her mind, but in the face of the setting sun it failed to elicit the loyalty that it had in the past.

"Yes," she nodded with a strength of conviction that surprised her, "I am ready."

"Than take his hand," the older man ordered quietly, "We have to hurry."

The ceremony was short and to the point, with only the vows included. The thing that surprised her was Guy's earnest expression as he solemnly vowed to love and to keep her until death did them part.  
When it was her turn she was shocked at herself when the words that she spoke with quick determination caused something like fondness for him to well up in her heart.

The sound of hoof beats on the cobblestone streets outside jarred her out of the unexpected sensation.

"I now pronounce that you are man and wife, what God has joined together let no man separate," the priest looked up at the door anxiously, "If you would like to kiss the bride, you'd better hurry; it might be the last thing you do."

Stepping closer with the bare determination and frankness of knowing that they did not have much time left on this earth, Marian met his kiss halfway.  
The feeling of his lips on hers and his arms around her drawing her body firmly up against his made her tense slightly, but then she relaxed as she allowed herself to enjoy it with uncharacteristic abandon.

"Now," Guy's voice was quiet but determined as he broke off the kiss and caressed the side of her face briefly with his hand as the sound of hooves and raucous voices drew ever nearer, "Let's go fight."

He was determined to do everything in his power to ensure that they could enjoy being married in _this_ life for more than a matter of minutes.

. . .

Back in the main hall, Guy stood with drawn sword as he waited for the right moment to lead the charge. Marian - not content to stand and watch - readied her bow and arrow as she stood down with the women and children. She planned to wait for the first defense to be broken down before she began to command those who - though not completely helpless - would be much worse off than the men if it came to an open fight in the hall.

The sounds of the soldiers could soon be heard clearly from where they waited and it seemed that it would be mere seconds before the fight actually began. Suddenly there came a familiar and yet completely unexpected voice from outside that caused Marian to freeze where she stood, a cold feeling of shock grabbing her tightly.

"GISBORNE!"

Eyes widening, Guy drew in a quick breath before darting forwards and outside as fast as he could.

He met the Sheriff right outside the courtyard of the castle, catching the end of his sentence as he stamped his ring into the open book of seals that a shocked Jasper presented to him.

"One day! I'm away for _one day_! And look at it! Hah?" the older man was dirty and disheveled, but there was a gleam of evil triumph in his eyes as he made his way towards his lieutenant, "LOOK AT IT!" turning around he stepped menacingly towards Jasper who still stood looking at him as though he had seen a ghost, "Are you still here?"

"No, m'lord," the other man jumped backwards as the Sheriff approached and then turned, raising his arm slowly - disbelief still written all over his face - as he commanded his men, "You heard him! Stand down!"

The Sheriff turned back towards Guy and removed the infamous tooth that had protected him in an earlier fight.  
Guy couldn't help sounding a little disgruntled and annoyed as he asked in a forceful tone, "Well what happened? Where did you go?"

"I see you can't cope without me for a day?" the victorious gleam was still there, bringing out unusual good humor in the midst of the mess that would have become unrepairable in mere minutes.

"Hood found you!" Guy stated, suddenly realizing that he had seen the outlaw departing on horseback.

"And?"

"Well, he could still be here; we could still get him!" His blood was up and he was eager to pursue the man who had used Marian as a bargaining chip to escape from almost certain death several days before.

"No! I don't need him anymore," the Sheriff was limping from lack of shoes, but the triumph of his day had put a smile on his face - albeit a very unpleasant one, "Single-handedly, eh? I, single-handedly managed to infiltrate Hood's secret camp and retrieve the pact. Haha! The pact!"

Guy narrowed his eyes, wondering if the Sheriff had finally become really unhinged as the shorter man seemed to be reaching into the back of his pants; becoming more and more agitated and beginning to pat his clothes as he failed to find what he was looking for.

"The pact, the pact," the Sheriff looked up and an expression of disbelief - followed quickly by one of rage - came across his face as he grabbed Guy's shoulders and hit him angrily, "No! No! The pact! The pact! Get after him!"

Marian watched from an upper window as Guy turned and jumped onto his horse, which had waited patiently all the time since he had returned to fight by her side. He rode quickly off through the reddish dusk - seeming to be more intent on escaping the Sheriff than on seeking Hood. She felt as though she were rooted to the spot as she watched until he disappeared - what had she done?

. . .

Marian climbed the stairs to her room slowly, almost hating the fact that Guy's absense gave her plenty of time to consider the reality that she was now a married woman. What had possessed her to agree to marry him so quickly?  
He was still the same man she had abandoned at the altar; he had still committed all of the crimes - especially his attempt to kill the king - that had made her draw away from him before. And yet... the moment that he had come back to fight by her side... In that moment she had seen the man that he could be: a man who would build a house, not destroy it. A man who would give up his own safety and future for someone else; a man she could - did - like, if nothing else.

And it wasn't as if the hope that he would care for her again had never crossed her mind since their failed wedding. Indeed, it was part of the reason she was continually tempted to try her power over him - more than she needed to - in the dangerous game she played for England... for Robin. Robin! The thought stung her.  
Just last week he had asked her to marry him and she had agreed.  
The long held dream of being his wife - put to death by her union with Guy - was hard to let go.  
What was she to tell Robin?

Marian had sat in her bedchamber staring out of the window until the stars had imprinted themselves onto her eyes and her mind threatened to drive her crazy with the way it whirled. Eventually, she gave into the urge to bury her tired face in her folded arms and breathe in deeply as she tried to relax - trying to put reality out of her mind. It had been a very. long. day.

. . . .

Well? If you enjoyed it please let me know! :-) (And if you see any really glaring errors, please do let me know.) :-)


	3. Chapter 3

This chapter has been re-written so much that you will want to read it again even if you already have. :-) Hopefully Robin stayed in character a little more in this version.

Merry Christmas everyone! :-)

. . . .

"I don't know why she agreed when it was too late to do any real good," Will summed up, shrugging helplessly and wishing that Robin had chosen someone else to keep Marian safe earlier that day, "I'm sorry, Robin."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Robin said seriously, putting his hand on the other man's shoulder, "Marian is alive; that is what matters." he dropped his hand and glanced around at the others, a grin coming over his face, "Come on, lads; let's stop a marriage."

Much watched him skeptically, he had a look in his eyes... one that had not been obvious since the day he discovered that Guy had been one of the 'Saracens' who had attacked the King at Acre. It hinted at the frustration that smoldered under the surface against the man who held and abused the lands, position - and now the woman - that was rightfully his.

. . .

Allan yawned as he climbed the stairs; Guy had just arrived back and had ordered him to inform Marian of that fact. Shaking his head, he wondered why Guy never sent the castle guards to do any of the unpleasant things.  
Nearing her room, he came to an abrupt stop as all sleep fled his eyes - the door to her chamber was open and the guards on duty were laying unconscious on the ground.

"Oh no! You've got to be jokin'!" his face fell and he shook his head, wondering if it would be safe to investigate further. He never got to decide; at that moment there was the sound of wood against bone and he fell - leaving John standing behind him, staff in hand.

. . .

"Marian," a soft voice called her name while a hand smoothed her hair gently, "Wake up, my love."

"Robin?" she blinked and raised her head from her arms, tilting her head as she felt the stiffness in her neck - the result of sleeping in the unusual position.

"Come on; I'm getting you out of here." Robin grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.

"What is so urgent?" obligingly standing up, Marian looked at him questioningly.

"Are we..." the color fled his face, but his voice was gentle and tentative, "Are we too late?"

Realization suddenly sank in as her eyes flitted to Much and Will's horrified faces and she could feel her face growing warm under their gaze. "Guy has not yet returned from searching for you," she turned back to Robin, attempting to answer the real question he wanted to ask, "I have not seen him since the Sheriff returned."

Inexpressible relief welled up in his eyes at her words, but he simply nodded and turned away - grabbing a dress that lay nearby.

"What are you doing?" Marian watched him curiously as he stuffed it into a small cloth bag.

Putting his hand on her arm for a brief moment, Robin looked at her seriously as he spoke quickly, "Gisborne will think that you changed your mind. He won't wish to risk embarrassment by chasing you down; the Sheriff would never permit it."

"Robin..." her voice trailed off and her throat felt distressingly tight as she caught a glimpse of the determination - and insecurity - that darted out of his eyes as he once again busied himself packing for her. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she tried again, "I married him, Robin. I promised before God. My father... my father would not want me to break my word."

"What about your promise to me?" he dropped the bag and crossed the room, taking her by both shoulders this time, "You gave me your word - not once, but twice - to be my wife!"

"And there is _nothing_ that would stop me from keeping that promise _if_ I could!" the words came fast - with more emotion than she would have chosen. She was silent for a moment and then spoke again, more calmly this time, "I'm sorry, Robin."

"Sorry that you chose to become the wife of a traitor and are now anticipating your wedding night?" he dropped his hands and turned away bitterly, "Or sorry that I'm here?"

"Please don't make this more difficult," she forced herself to keep her gaze steady in spite of the cold pain that grew in her heart, "I cannot go with you."

"And I cannot let you consummate this marriage," he met her eyes as he almost whispered the words, "You will regret it and it cannot be undone."

"I have made my choice." turning her head, she willed herself not to give in to his pleading.

"You will come to your senses," Robin pressed his lips together, "And you will feel trapped. Days will be hardly bearable, and nights will be a living h..."

"Robin!" annoyance flooded her; there was nothing she could do about it.

A sigh escaped him, but it gave more of an impression of indecision rather than depression. A moment later he nodded slightly and stepped closer to her, speaking insistently, "I'm bringing you back to the camp."

"Robin..."

"You don't have your father to worry about," he spoke quickly, then his tone turned to one of pleading, "Come with me."

She shook her head and his shoulders finally sagged in defeat.  
"Very well," he sighed and walked quickly towards the door, a hint of bitterness in his tone, "Good evening,_ Lady Gisborne_."

The name sent a cold wave over her heart and suddenly the walls of the castle seemed to crowd in around her as the thought flashed through her mind that if she stayed, she would be spending the night... in Guy's bed.

"Robin!" it was as though she had abruptly realized that deep water was closing over her head - and her lifeline was walking out the door.

Barely outside the room, he turned and looked back at her questioningly.

She licked her lips, shaking her head slightly with a desperate look on her face, "I can't..."

Tears blurred her eyes and suddenly his arms were around her and his chin rested on the top of her head.

"You're coming with me." his voice was quiet and tender as his hand stroked her head.

Silently - unable to face the reality of being a wife - Marian found herself nodding against his chest as she gave a shuddering sigh.

Much sighed and shook his head as the two separated and lead the way out of the room; this was not a good idea.

. . .

Guy paused at his window for a moment, looking unseeingly out on the town beneath him, and then resumed his pacing. He had been gone for longer than he had anticipated, had no luck in finding Hood, and when he had returned the Sheriff had wanted to... speak... to him about his failure that day; though Guy failed to see how the results of the Sheriff's sleepwalking adventures were his fault (a fact that he did not mention to the older man).

Now that he was finally alone, waiting for Allan to return with his bride - or else a message from her - his mind was working overtime.  
The fact that the woman who had scorned his love for so long had finally agreed to marry him was difficult to believe. She had definitely softened towards him since their fall out at the alter so many months earlier, but he couldn't help but feel that - even after he rescued of her from Hood not so long ago - there was something that had kept them apart.  
If only the woman would talk to him - and honestly! Though he prided himself on being able to spot treachery in those around him, he suspected himself to be utterly incapable of reading the contradictory face of Lady Marian.

It often seemed to him as though her body language begged him to come closer, then changed when he did and recoiled from any contact as her mind kicked in. It had occurred to him more than once that perhaps she was hiding something that was keeping them apart.

What in the world was taking Allan so long? He could only stand so much. Making up his mind, Guy walked purposefully towards the door and turned towards the staircase that lead the way to Marian's bedchamber.

. . .

"Allan!"

Allan groaned as a rough hand shook him back to consciousness; why would Guy never let him sleep?

"Allan! Wake up!" Guy ordered, fury overriding the panic in his voice, "What happened?"

Blinking and sitting up, Allan glanced around at the guards and their scattered weapons and then back to Guy.

"You're not gonna like this," he informed his superior warningly, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Robin appeared to have kidnapped Marian, "I think Robin was here."

"Of course he was, you fool!" Guy growled, storming into her room as cold fear gripped his heart at Allan's affirmation of his suspicions, "Go saddle our horses!"

"Now?" there was a touch of a whine in Allan's voice as he rubbed the back of his head gingerly.

"NOW!" Guy flinched even as he spoke; he was sounding more like the Sheriff than he liked to admit, but that knowledge made little difference in his ferocity at the moment, "We have to get Marian back before the Sheriff forbids it! Who knows what Hood will do to her!"

"Well, I'm not being funny," Allan got slowly to his feet, "But do you really think that you have that much to worry about? They used to be betrothed you know; surely Robin wouldn't hurt her."

"The fact they were engaged only means that she may be the type of woman that is attractive to him; that in and of itself should be enough cause for alarm." Guy was getting increasingly agitated, "And now that she's my wife he has a lot to gain from hurting her. Now GO!"

"Right!" Allan shook his head and sighed as he hurried down the stairs; why couldn't things ever be easy?

. . .

Marian felt cold and clammy as she floated back to consciousness; her exhaustion added to the headache that pounded against her temples. Groaning slightly she opened her eyes to see Djaq's face, barely lit by the fire and the moon.

"Marian?" the other woman asked, bending over her, "How do you feel?"

"Terrible," Marian sighed, blinking up at her, "What happened?"

"Robin and the boys went to rescue you before you... consummated your marriage to Gisborne," Djaq's voice had a tinge of disapproval to it, "And he got a little over zealous."

"We were almost here and you changed your mind," Robin's concerned face loomed into the foreground, "Your horse threw you and you hit your head. I'm sorry, Marian."

. . .

_As her horse maneuvered it's way through the woods, Marian could not stop thinking about her father. He had always loved her and protected her to the best of his abilities - he was the most honorable man she had known. He always kept his promises; regardless of how uncomfortable they were - she knew that he would be disappointed in the way she was running away from fulfilling her vows._

_Her eyes refused to focus in the darkness - she felt tormented by the unavoidable choice that she had to make. She was facing the first step in one of two directions - either she continued running away, or she faced the reality of being 'Lady Gisborne'... with everything it entailed._

_It was almost as if she was watching from a distance as she swung her horse's head around, knowing what she had to do._

_"Marian?" Robin voice was questioning, concerned, "What are you doing?"_

_"I have to go back..." even to her own ears her voice had plenty of conviction but lacked strength._

_"Wait," he reached out for her horse's bridle, "Let's talk about this!"_

_Whether the horse was wary of Robin's hand or something else didn't matter - it reared and she felt rather than saw the ground coming up to meet her..._

. . .

Coming back to the present, she remembered Robin's apology.

"No," she put a hand to her head and winced, "It was my fault - I should not have agreed to come back; my father..."

"Your father is safe in heaven," Robin took her hand, speaking earnestly in a gentle voice, "And you should not live your life around his ideas or beliefs anymore."

A smile played at her lips; she had always loved it when he spoke in that manner - it made her long to feel his lips on hers, to feel safe - to feel loved. "I lo..." the whispered words stuck in her throat and she suddenly leaned back, shaking herself into reality, "Robin; this was a mistake. Take me back."

"I can't bring you back to him," the way he shook his head was almost more of a shiver, "I won't."

"I am a married woman, Robin!" intensity pulled at her voice, a pang shot through her heart as he turned his head to the side; avoiding her eyes, "Look at me! I am Lady Gisborne now. I'm sorry."

"I'm not bringing you back." his jaw was set in a firm line as he forced himself to look in her eyes again.

"Then I'm going back myself," she raised her eyebrows, leaving no room for argument - she knew her weakness, "I will not stay here and tempt myself with a man who is not my husband."

The way he sat and watched her as she got to her feet - grabbing a nearby tree for support as her injured head swirled - made her wonder what was going through his mind.

"Do you remember the first village attack we investigated after you joined us in the forest?" the reflective statement surprised her.

"What of it?" she frowned slightly, failing to see the relevance of the question.

"You ran down ahead of us, putting yourself - and us - in danger."

"So?" she blushed slightly in embarrassment at the memory of the way she had taken out her grief that day.

"I had to restrain you to keep you safe," Robin raised his eyes from the ground to her face, the strength of conviction in them, "If you will not agree to stay..."

"The situations are entirely different," Marian insisted, apprehension slowly growing behind her eyes, "I was not thinking rationally. I am in complete control of my reasoning at the moment, and I know that it was a mistake to come; I am... not strong enough... for this."

He did not answer, simply regarded her as she gestured - unable to find the proper words.

It wasn't until she turned and began to walk purposefully into the darkness of the woods that he jumped up and grabbed her hand.

"No!" he said hoarsely, "You may think you're not strong enough, but I am the one who is weak; I cannot lose you again, Marian! Please, stay here until I think of a plan."

"I can't," she turned to face him, unspoken torment showing in her features, "Don't you understand? I love you, Robin. And I married Guy. I promised to stay with him until death did us part - and don't," seeing him about to speak, "Don't say that you can arrange that; I will _not _allow you to kill him."

"Look," Robin bit his bottom lip thoughtfully, "If I was able to come up with a way to get you out of this, would you accept?"

"There _is _no way out, Robin!" she almost snapped the words out, betraying her frayed nerves, "Please do not mention it! Now, let go of my hand; I'm going back to the castle. I don't want to have to think of an explanation for my prolonged absence."

His eyebrows rose slightly and a twinkle appeared in his eye as his mouth formed an amused smile, "Yes... what they must think of you. Perhaps you have a secret lover, perhaps you ran away from your new husband or just maybe that scoundrel Robin Hood captured you and is holding you at his camp against your will. I think I'd choose the last one; what about you?"

Marian looked at him curiously as he dropped her hand and went over to their makeshift storage hut. A moment later he returned with a length of rope that he looped around a tree and tied a knot with meticulous care.

"Robin," her voice rose questioningly as she eyed him skeptically, "What are you doing? You aren't going to..."

He just grinned at her with raised eyebrows as he reached out and tied her hands. The only thing that she could think of - as she stood staring at her bound wrists - was that the blow to her head must have seriously damaged her if she had not seen that coming.

"I told you not to _ever _tie me up," she raised her eyes slowly, as though in disbelief, "Now let me go!"

Robin shook his head, "Don't you see? If Gisborne were to ask where you were, you could simply say that you were... tied up."

"Robin!"

"I'm getting tired of this, Marian," his face became suddenly serious, "I will get you out of this, but you must stay here until I come up with a way to do it."

A lock of hair tickled Marian's neck, and a wave of panic rose in her throat as she tugged at the rope and it sank in that she was truly stuck. There were few things in this life that frightened Marian Fitzwalter - Gisborne, that is - but one of the few was vulnerability. Helplessness.

"Robin..." her voice had gone from protesting to pleading.

"Robin is trying to save you from a life of misery," the outlaw's voice cut in quietly as he turned away from her, an edge to it that she had not heard in a long time, "And since you make a habit of getting into trouble, you're going to stay in one place until I come up with a plan of how to get you out of this mess."

"Robin! Robin, please!" the fact that he kept walking - ignoring her voice - pained her more than anything else so far, "Where are you going?"

"Somewhere quiet where I can actually think!" he turned around, speaking with a hint of the aggression that stemmed from his severe disappointment, "I _will_ get you out of this."

"You know what's the matter with him," Much spoke up after Robin had disappeared into the darkness of the woods, nodding significantly from where he knelt as he fed the fire, "He's too competitive. He hates to lose. And losing you in marriage - especially to Gisborne - after spending all day looking for the Sheriff..."

"The Sheriff!" Marian interrupted, suddenly remembering the results of her snooping earlier in the day, "Djaq! The Sheriff has orders from Prince John to assassinate the king! Because he was unable to discover the port where the king would land, the Sheriff is in disgrace and is being sent to Acre to do the job there. Go get Robin! I have to tell him now - the Sheriff is leaving in less than a week!"

"Leave him alone," Will's voice was gentle and his eyes stayed on the wood he was carving, "He's in no condition to listen. An hour won't make much difference."

Marian sighed - having no choice but to agree - and sat down heavily on the ground where she began to quietly work at her bonds.

The silence was broken only by the snapping of the fire and the occasional snip of Will's knife. John sat simply looking into the fire, keeping his thoughts to himself as usual.

"Why didn't you come with Robin to the castle?" Marian asked Djaq quietly after a while, more to disperse the heavy silence than anything else.

"One of us has to stay and guard the camp," she answered, "Until we are sure that the Sheriff is unable to find it again."

"Was it because I told you to?" Will asked suddenly, still not raising his eyes from his work.

"What?" drawing her eyebrows together, Marian glanced over at him - the question seemed to be directed at her.

"Gisborne. Did you marry him because I told you to?" he finally met her eyes, showing the tormented guilt that had been plaguing him since she had left the hall with the Sheriff's lieutenant.

"No." comprehension came over her face and she shook her head, "I can't explain why I agreed to become his wife, but it wasn't because of anything that you said."

The relief that flowed over his face spoke volumes, but he simply turned his attention back to the wood in his hands - wood that was now completely ruined from the intense, aimless cuts it had undergone as a result of the carpenter's unrevealed anxiety.

. . .

Robin was gone for a long time, and Marian began to get tired.

Leaning back against the tree, her mind drifted back to a time when the four of them - Guy, Guy's sister Isabella, Robin, and Marian - had all lived within a mile of each other as children.  
Robin had always been the leader of their games, expecting - and sometimes compelling - her (as the youngest of the group) to play along in whatever role he chose for her. Most often she played the part of a monster or an evil knight who had kidnapped Isabella - the closest in age to Robin - and had to be fought before Robin could rescue the damsel in distress.  
In fact; when she was older and Robin first asked to court her, she had sometimes wondered if she would have been his first choice had Isabella remained around until they had become full grown.

As she looked into the fire, watching the flames dancing around the logs, the memory of her first real clash of wills with Robin crept into her mind. She had been about 8, he a small 13 - only just starting the first of his adolescent growth spurts.  
It had been one of the last times they played, as they were all getting older and not long afterwards events would take place to effectively banish the Gisborne children from the area.

. . .

_They had been playing their usual game and had reached the part where Robin and Marian - the evil knight - battled for the custody of Isabella who stood off to the side with a crown of flowers in her hair, cheering for Robin. A moment later Robin knocked the wooden sword out of Marian's hand and raised his own in victory, laughing proudly. Annoyed by her loss and his gloating, she had taken advantage of the fact that his sword was no longer a threat and had tackled him; throwing him to the ground with the force of her weight and speed._

_"Not yet," she said in her best evil knight voice, her good nature returning with the gratifying sight of him staring up at her in surprise, "The lady is still mine!"_

_As Isabella giggled a flood of humiliation and aggression rushed through Robin, giving him new strength - no girl was going to best him! With something akin to a growl, he had rocked back and forth twice and then flipped Marian onto her back. The fact that she was now grinning up at him had only angered him more, and he had scowled at her, using his role of the avenging knight as an excuse for taking out his aggression on her. Pinning her hands above her head he pinched her. Hard._

_The smile disappeared from her face, replaced with a flash of uncertainty. "Ouch," her brow furrowed, "That hurt."_

_"It was meant to," he clenched his jaw and pinched her again, "Surrender! I have bested you."_

_"No!" his words - along with the thinly disguised ferocity that shone through his eyes - had not only roused her alarm, but also her stubbornness. There was no way that Robin of Locksley was beating her at _this_ game!_

_"Fine." he was angered but also inexplicably pleased by her refusal, and he gritted his teeth as he pinched her again._

_"Robin, stop," Isabella had said tentatively, sensing that something had changed as Marian clamped her mouth shut and refused to acknowledge the pain as she fought to regain control of the situation, "Let her go."_

_"Not until... I rescue... you," he had gritted out, holding Marian tightly and wishing that she wasn't quite so strong, "And she... surrenders."_

_"Please surrender, Marian," Isabella had knelt by her head and pleaded with her, starting to be genuinely afraid, "I don't want to play anymore anyways; let's go pick some blackberries down by the stream."_

_"No." her answer was short, and there was more pain in her tone that she liked to admit to feeling as she redoubled her efforts, "Never."_

_Robin felt a small stab of worry as he lost his grip on one of her hands; Marian wasn't stupid - she had obviously realized that this was no longer a game - what if she decided to get him back for the bruises that she would probably have the next day?_  
_Gathering up all of the strength in her body, Marian grunted involuntarily as she pushed at him and twisted to get away._

_Finally out from under him, Marian restrained herself from biting his arm as it knocked against her teeth; being too well trained to cheat in that manner. Fighting free, she jumped to her feet and faced him as he got up and began to circle her warily. Neither one noticed Isabella hurrying away towards the Gisborne estate as fast as she could._

_"Stop it!" she snapped, dodging as he faked a punch, "This is silly, Robin!"_

_"Do you surrender?" he asked, looking at her with a calculating eye._

_"Never," she raised her head proudly, "I will never surrender to you, Robin of Locksley!"_

_"We'll see." he dove forwards, catching her elbow with his eye but throwing her to the ground once more._

_Marian was beginning to wish that she had simply let him gloat over his apparent victory in disarming her earlier; she was surprised how much stronger he had grown and was seriously doubting that she could live up to her proud words._  
_Struggling furiously, there was only one purpose in her mind; to stop him from pinning her again. His forehead was so close that she bumped it with her own as she struggled._

_Then - a moment later - his fist met her nose and sent her head snapping backwards. Time stood still as she found herself staring up into his face which was frozen in disbelief as he realized that he had just punched her. Hot anger and cold shock simultaneously flooded her system, and a moment later she took advantage of his disbelief by throwing him off of her and getting to her feet once again, wiping at her nose as she did so._

_Robin stepped backwards, staring at the two scarlet lines that ran down from her nose across the white skin of her face. How many times had his father drilled into him that he was _never_ to hit a girl under any circumstances? How disappointed he would be if he ever found out._

_"I... does it hurt?" he gulped, looking away and hoping that she would take the question as an apology._

_Marian sent a cold glare his way; her father would not be happy that she had ruined her dress, and would doubtless be even less happy that she had done so during a wrestling match with Robin - something she knew that he would not like._

_"It's not all my fault!" Robin exclaimed defensively, trying to convince himself that he was telling the truth, "You started it!"_

_"Coward." she spat out, tasting blood in her mouth as the result of her teeth meeting her lip when he had punched her._

_"Am not!" he growled, growing angry once more as his conscious agreed with her, "Take that back!"_

_Marian disdained to answer as she held her head high and turned back the way they had come._

_"I said, take it back!" his lips curled as he ran after her retreating back._

_Thoroughly determined not to answer him, Marian continued walking; adjusting her weight and refusing to look at him, even when he pushed her shoulder in an effort to get some kind of reaction._

_As they reached the field between the woods and the house, Robin felt something akin to fear as he spotted the slim figure of Isabella leading her older brother towards the forest._

_"Hurry up!" Isabella's voice carried across the field, "Please!"_

_"Don't tell him anything!" Robin turned towards Marian, "Just say that you fell and hit your nose."_

_Turning her head even further away from him, Marian huffed slightly._

_"I'll say I'm sorry," his words turned to begging as the other pair drew nearer, and he glanced from them back to her with the hopes of a compromise, "You don't tell anyone about this, and I'll apologize."_

_"Forget it, Robin." she looked at him finally, cool anger still reflecting in her eyes, "I hate you!"_

_He looked shocked and wounded, but did not have time to respond as the Gisborne children came up._

_"What have you done to her?" Guy's voice - midway between a boy's and a man's - demanded, taking in Marian's bloodied face and clothes, "Get out of here, Robin of Locksley! And don't come back until you've learned some manners!"_

_The tone of his voice brought Robin's attention to Marian's appearance, and overwhelming regret - mixed with resentment at Guy's words - showed in his eyes as he stepped backwards and then turned and ran._

_"Are you alright?" Guy's voice was calm and unemotional, but there was apprehension behind his eyes as he looked at her._

_"Yes," she accepted his hand to get to her feet, feeling sick that she had told the boy that she admired so much that she hated him for something that she had instigated, "I'm fine."_

_"Good." he nodded shortly, turning away from her to lead the way back to the house, "Come on; you can get cleaned up before you go home."_

_Isabella took Marian's hand and squeezed it sympathetically as they went back to the house, knowing that if _she_ had wrecked her dress by wrestling with Robin, her mother would have had more than just a few choice words for her. But perhaps they could get Marian to look somewhat presentable so that she wouldn't get in much trouble with her father._

_. . ._

Marian sighed as the memory was interrupted by Much throwing some more wood on the fire shook her head; she had not gotten in much trouble - her father had never asked for the whole story and had simply seemed grateful that she was not actually injured.

Robin had showed up on her doorstep with a face full of shame the next day and had apologized more eloquently than she had expected - she, of course, had forgiven him on the spot and had shyly admitted that she didn't really hate him. They had both been glad to leave the subject behind them and had never spoken about it again; every time it had entered her mind she had pushed it away with a feeling of shame for her unruly temper.

But the damage had been done; she had never been able to look at Robin with the same feeling of awe - bordering on hero-worship - as before. And there was always a little bit of apprehension - not fear exactly, but concern - in her heart whenever he was really angry. She did not regret the experience though; it had been because of wanting to impress - and best - him that she had become so skilled with weapons and self defense.

The sound of crackling footsteps informed her that the man in question had returned. The rope went slack around her wrists as he untied it from the tree, and Marian glanced over at him as he knelt down next to her - obviously more calm, having spent a lot of time thinking.

"You still wish to return to the castle?" he asked, looking into the fire.

Silence reigned for a moment, and then Marian nodded slightly, "I must."

"Do you intend to inform him that you are the nightwatchman before or after he discovers the scar he gave you?"

Marian sucked in a quick breath - why that thought had not occurred to her before was a mystery. She was reminded of the fateful day every time she disrobed. The scar had been at least part of the reason she had left Guy so violently at the alter during their first wedding. In the excitement of the day, however, it had completely slipped her memory.

The first thought that crossed her mind was what excuse she could give - what story to tell. Then she recoiled in disgust; she was sick of lies and deceit. And besides, if she told Guy the truth perhaps he would no longer want her. To her surprise, that realization did not bring the relief she expected.  
Shaking herself of the thought, she remembered the letter from Prince John and proceeded to broach the topic with Robin.

. . . .

I hope that you enjoyed the new version; more to come later. :-) (Oh, and this is officially the longest chapter I have EVER posted). :-)


	4. Chapter 4

I hope everyone had a good Christmas! :-)

As usual, this is a rough draft - if something in it doesn't make sense please do let me know. :-)

I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

. . . .

When Marian had finished explaining what she knew about the Sheriff's intended journey to the Holy Land, Robin did not answer for a while. As she watched the light of the fire dancing on his face, Marian felt a longing for him well up in her heart. Her frustration towards him for the evening's events softened and then began to melt away in the soft, warm light. Several minutes later he drew a deep breath and spoke, still looking into the flames.

"I need your help." silence reigned for another minute as Marian continued to gaze at him. Another deep breath and he spoke again, "I'm going to use your life to persuade Guy to work against the Sheriff and save the king."

Suddenly the warm softness was gone; harsh reality stared her in the face once more as he turned his head and guarded eyes met hers.

"No; I will not be used to manipulate him!" Marian told him, stung by the thought for reasons she could not - would not - explore.

"Just like you didn't suggest we use you to manipulate him when we were stuck in the tree?" Robin shot back, almost glad of a reason to argue with the woman who was causing him so much distress and difficulty.

"That is not fair; you know that I..." voice trailing off, Marian found it impossible to put it into words, but for some reason it had seemed as though she and Robin were a team against Guy that day. Now, as he not only did not oppose the use of her as a trade item but had gone so far as to suggest it, she felt oddly cold and alone.

"Married only a few hours and already his politics are rubbing off on you?" his frustration showed more in the quiet tone of the taunt than anything else.

"That is not fair," she replied evenly, "You know that I support the king as much as you do. But you and I would have died in that tree had we not done what it took to give us time to escape. This is different."

"How?" his face wore a very calm expression - eyes partially closed, mouth almost smiling - and yet it somehow managed to communicate the vexation that surged beneath the surface, "It was a matter of life and death - but so is this. The king will die unless we do something. And right now you are the only way that I can think of."

Marian could have happily slapped him if he had not suddenly replaced the rope around her wrists - much to her dismay and discomfort.

. . .

Much silently spread a well worn blanket for her as the fire burned low and the outlaws turned in for the evening.

The night passed slowly for Marian as she lay flat on her back looking up at the stars, her tied hands laying on her belly. The emotionally charged day, her divided heart and the humiliation of her present position kept her awake.

Robin was a good man - how many times had she repeated that sentence in her head since he had arrived back from the Holy Land? It wasn't as though she had to convince herself of it.

Now she told that fact to herself once more - trying to brush away the insecurity and vulnerability that had been agitated by the whole day, but especially by the way he had forced her to remain at the camp. She dreaded the idea of being used to convince Guy to work against the Sheriff - now that he was her husband she did not doubt that the truth would come out sometime and she had a feeling that working with Robin, especially in this matter, would be an unpardonable offense.

_Of course,_ she mused, _There are many things about me that he would consider unforgivable. _

There was - for instance - her identity of the Nightwatchman (and, more importantly, the fact that she had robbed him as the Nightwatchman), her stubborn refusal to be left out of decisions, and the fact that she always insisted that she could take care of herself. Her father had taught her to fight - though perhaps not in the way she had decided to. He had wanted her to have choices in the world, but she had sometimes seen in even his eyes that she was more headstrong than he intended.

It seemed that the men in her life were determined to make her into what they wanted - what she was not. Robin as well - from insisting that her occupation as the Nightwatchman was no longer necessary to demonstrating, as he had today, that he did not trust her enough to let her do what she would with her own life.  
The thought that her marriage to Guy had proved Robin right flitted through her mind, but then a flare of rebelliousness shot through her. Who was he to tell her what to do? Who she married was her own business; he had not consulted her before he left for the Holy Land - simply informed her of his decision and kissed her goodbye.

She had been a girl when he left - still observant and opinionated, but also laughing, even a tad flirtatious - and the desertion had been more difficult than it should have been. It had triggered the insecurity and pain that had begun with her mother's death - when she was a very young child, just old enough to miss the kind and beautiful woman without understanding why she never returned. Marian had spent the years since Robin left for the war and the new Sheriff arrived desperately working to keep her father alive and well. When he had died, the fear of being alone had finally overtaken her and she had left for the forest with the unconscious desire and need to be loved and cherished again.

As the cool wind moved across her body - swaying the rope that tethered her to a nearby tree - she shivered slightly and then started when an owl hooted not far off.

Though she had never let on, she had intensely disliked living in the forest. Marian repeated again that she had only herself to blame for Robin's unpleasantness - but it still hurt that he had given her sternness and discipline when she needed love the most.  
And on the fateful afternoon when she was stuck in a tree with Robin, the opportunity to go back to the castle with Guy - in spite of the Sheriff she despised -had been more attractive than she would ever have told him.  
It was not that she didn't like the gang - or Robin; she had meant it when she said that she loved him.  
Resentfulness stole slowly over her as she remembered his recent proposal - but it was directed at herself. The knowledge that she herself had killed the dream that she had looked forward to for so many years was acutely painful.

Laying there - gazing up at the moon in the quiet peacefulness of a sleeping forest, the significance of everything that had happened in the past twelve hours came upon her in reoccurring waves. Feeling overwhelmed by the sheer weight of the oppressive loneliness - not to mention the potential consequences to the actions that had taken place, Marian rolled onto her side; if she could, she would have drawn her knees up to her chest and folded her arms protectively across herself to guard against the emotions that poured over her. As it was, she could only lay silently in the darkness as a tear rolled down her face - feeling exposed and alone.

. . .

"Marian!" Guy swung his torch in a slow circle, highlighting the underbrush as he called her name, "MARIAN!"

"Look," Allan followed him, keeping a prudent distance from the flames, "This isn't going to do any good; anyone could hear us, and at this rate Robin could move her a dozen times without us having a clue."

"What do you suggest?" curling his lip slightly, Guy turned until he could see the other man, "The only man who might have the ability help us is the Sheriff, and I doubt that he would be willing to help us find Marian, even if he could lead us to... Hood's camp."

With a hard swallow, Allan watched an expression of dawning remembrance grace Guy's features.

"You _are _going to take me to Hood's camp," Guy nodded to Allan, his expression dead serious; leaving no room for argument, "No distractions, no excuses. Not this time. Marian's life is in danger, and I _will _kill you - slowly - if you don't take me straight there - no roundabout delays."

Allan felt his heart sinking; what now?

. . .

_After one of the maids had helped clean her dress from the blood from her nose as much as possible, Marian had tromped slowly down the staircase of the Gisborne house; studying her feet as she went and feeling very lonely and insecure about her argument with Robin. As she reached the bottom, she glanced up to see Guy just coming in the door. Knowing that she was pouting and not wishing anyone to know it, Marian turned her face away and skirted him as she continued on her way towards the door._

_"Marian," his voice caused her to look up in surprise; the bigger boy rarely acknowledged the presence of the younger ones unless absolutely necessary, "I wish to speak with you."_

_Briefly considering the option of refusing his request, Marian hesitated, looking from him to the door._

_Turning around, he walked back out into the small courtyard before looking back to her with a gentler expression than was his wont, "Please."_

_Her curiosity got the better of her and she obliged - though she did drag her feet slightly so as not to appear too agreeable._

_"What?" she asked, folding her arms and looking up at him._

_"I want to show you something."_

_Marian pushed his hand away as he extended it, not about to allow anyone to get a hold of her again._

_"I'm not going to hurt you," his voice was soothing, "I'm going to show you what to do if someone is ever bothering you."_

_Watching him warily, Marian allowed him to get a firm grasp of her shoulders, "What now?" she asked._

_"Grab my wrist," nodding towards one of his hands, "As tight as you can. Right; now turn - pretend that you are screwing your body into the ground. Keep going... Ouch. Stop!"_

_A small smile showed that her confidence had begun to return as he rubbed his shoulder._

_"Go faster when you're actually in danger. Now," he indicated that she should lay down on the ground and stood over her as Robin had earlier, "Grab my ankle - no; with both, other hand on top. Pull it tight in to your body. Right! Now start turning the other way and put your foot on my upper leg; pushing with your foot and pulling with your arms. Whoa, not so..."_

_A thrill of success shot through her as he wobbled for a moment and then fell._

_"Well, since I'm down here," Guy sounded resigned, "Keep a tight hold of my foot and turn it, but _slowly_!"_

_Obediently, Marian kept his foot held tight against her body and turned slowly but firmly._

_"Stop!" he ordered, his voice becoming strained as she didn't respond as quickly as he wished, "Stop!"_

_Letting go, Marian stood up and turned to face him, a look of understandable pride on her face as she held out her hand to help him up. Taking it with a grin, he got to his feet._

_"And that is how you break their ankle," he informed her, "Just make sure that you don't do it unless you have to. If you can't, you could always kick or bite them - do anything to buy yourself at least a few seconds to break free."_

_"That's cheating," she objected, "And I don't cheat."_

_"Listen," he bent down and put a hand on her shoulder, "There are no rules if you are really in trouble; Robin never would have seriously injured you, but some people would if they were given the chance. If you are ever in a fight against a boy or a man, you can bite, scratch, poke their eyes..."_

_He stopped as Marian's face took on a horrified expression, but continued in a moment, feeling more protective of the little girl than he ever had before, "Do _anything_ you can to get away and keep him from following you. Do you understand?"_

_Marian nodded solemnly, wondering what had induced the boy who rarely spoke to be so forthcoming all of a sudden._

_"Good. Now go home," Guy stood up, satisfied that he had done the right thing, "It'll be nearly time for dinner by the time you get there."_

_Marian nodded again and started off, glancing back over her shoulders at him several times as she went._

_He had stood and watched her until she had disappeared from sight._

. . .

Shivering into wakefulness, Marian let a deep sigh escape her as she thought of the incident that her dream had recalled. If only Guy had been more like that when he had reappeared as Vaisey's right-hand man and begun to court her - perhaps she would not have been quite so open to taking out her frustration about her father's unwelcome replacement on him.

Strange that she had forgotten that memory. After all; it had been that first lesson with him that had started her in her quest for proficiency in self defense.  
But perhaps it was because she had worked hard to forget the Gisborne children after their banishment; her natural sympathy had been firmly discouraged by her father because of a rumor of a scandal involving Lady Gisborne and an unnamed gentleman.

She couldn't help but suspect, however, that her insistence about Guy's qualities and her propensity to believe him even when he had told her something contrary to what Robin swore to be true may have been based in the trust that had begun in her heart towards the tall boy because of his voluntary kindness so many years before.

Beginning to turnover once more and being tugged back by the rope, Marian felt a stab of annoyance with Robin - being tied was so degrading.  
Besides, she had forgotten how uncomfortable it was to sleep on the forest floor, and the rope did nothing to help matters. She wiggled around - trying to get comfortable - wishing that the single blanket that was between her and the ground was at least five times as thick.

Giving up on that idea, she set to work on her bonds - determined to free herself before morning - closing her eyes for better concentration as what little she was able to see was more of a distraction than a help.

. . .

Will stared up at the branches overhead, unable to sleep. Though Marian had assured him that he was not the reason for her hasty marriage, he could not help feeling as though he was at least partially responsible for it.  
Also Robin's way of keeping her at the camp bothered him - soon after the Sheriff had arrived and the old sheriff had left the castle, his father Dan had been speaking about the whole situation. He had observed that the old sheriff and his daughter would be fine; for someone like Marian Fitzwalter loss of position would not be as devastating as loss of freedom.

As time passed he began to hear quiet little noises from where she lay, at first he thought that she was crying, but the conviction grew on him that she was actually struggling with the rope that restrained her.

He sighed quietly - his loyalty to Robin at war with his responsibility towards Marian.  
It seemed as though an eternity passed before Will finally gave up and rolled to his feet; he had to do something.

. . .

Opening her eyes to a hand on her shoulder, Marian - out of habit - did not scream, but instead rolled quickly to the side with the intention of getting free. A firm tug on her wrist stopped her and a flash of sudden fear shot through her mind. She had been working at the rope for so long and it still refused to give way - the thought that she had run out of time

The hand removed itself and went down to fumble with the rope around her wrist.  
Straining to see who was kneeling beside her, Marian started in surprise when a break in the clouded sky allowed the moon to highlight Will's unruly hair.  
A moment later, and the rope fell apart as his knife sliced through it easily.

Helping her to her feet, Will led the way as they snuck out of earshot of the camp.

"What are you doing?" Marian asked under her breath as soon as it was safe.

"Look," Will whispered, his regret and guilt about her wedding clinging to him and feeling that she should be allowed to do whatever she chose, "If you want to go back to him... I'll take full responsibility."

A grateful feeling warmed her heart as she looked at the quiet young man, along with sympathy as she guessed what was going through his mind. "It was my decision," she informed him quietly, "I would have agreed to marry him regardless of your urging or opinion of the matter."

Though he didn't say anything, she saw his shoulders relax slightly in relief before she turned away headed into the forest.

. . .

Allan felt his palms sweating as they neared the camp; he had led Guy in as much of a roundabout way as he dared, hoping that it would prevent him from ever being able to find the camp by himself.  
Torn between his need to stay alive and the desire to protect Robin and the gang, Allan found himself faced with a decision similar to the one that had started all of his trouble and had ended in his expulsion from the gang and consequent servant-hood to Guy.  
Just when his inner torment had reached an unbearable pitch and he began to turn around to tell Guy that he simply could not do it, there was a crackle in the underbrush close by.

"Who's there?" Allan whispered hoarsely, hoping that it wasn't John - or more specifically John's heavy staff; his head still ached from earlier that evening.

"Allan?" a female voice sounded surprised, "What are you doing here?"

"Marian?" Guy remembered to keep his voice down as he fumbled in the darkness, finally finding her and drawing her warm body into a tight hug of overwhelming relief, "Are you alright?"

Nodding her head against his shoulder, Marian patiently patted his back a few times; her habitual coolness towards him - lately with a tinge of friendship warming the edges - held her back from returning the hug with any real warmth. She caught herself thinking that his arms were more comforting than she expected, but chalked that down to her vexation towards Robin.

"Come on," Guy released her and took her hand gently; knowing, or at least hoping, that their recently exchanged vows had given him that right, "Let's go home. I'm going to take you to Locksley; that may be more safe than the castle right now."

Allan felt a surge of relief as Guy forgot about the outlaw's camp; that would have been awfully difficult to explain to the gang - especially if he ever really was able to rejoin.

. . .

Robin had laid awake for a long time before the sound of someone getting up caught his attention. He watched as Will freed Marian, restraining himself from doing anything to stop the process; it would be good for the young man to be able to quiet his guilt, and besides - he liked improvising. This might come in handy.

Getting gently to his feet after Will returned to his blanket, Robin followed Marian with all of the stealth that came with not only his military training, but also his time of living in the forest.

When he heard Guy's whisper, he grinned slightly; this was an interesting twist - and it might actually make this whole thing easier.  
If only Marian would come to her senses and just go along with his plan; the way she was behaving was disturbingly similar to her last wedding when she resisted all of his efforts to help her to escape Guy. The biggest difference was that now - with her father's passing - she had no way to hide behind anyone else's needs, and yet she was still determined to honor the marriage contract.

Turning back towards the camp, he went to rouse his gang; he would need some backup if this was going to work right.

. . . .

I can see that you read my story (on my stats page), so if you liked it, please let me know. :-) I'm also open to suggestions, but if you hated it or you just want to bash G/M... don't bother. ;-)


	5. Chapter 5

My apologies for the long wait on the update... I've been unbelievably busy and ended up re-writing this chapter entirely. Anyways, I hope that you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who helped for their suggestions!

. . . .

It was dark as Allan led the way to Locksley - the two men had extinguished their torches as they neared the camp - and Marian had never been completely comfortable in the dark. In the shadows, yes - at least in the more recent years, but the vulnerability she had felt in complete darkness had stayed with her since childhood.

The comfort of a human hand - in a non-romantic way - was something that she often longed for but did not experience except in her vaguest memories of early fears when her father had sat beside her bed, holding her hand until she fell asleep.

Catching her foot in the brush, Marian found herself involuntarily reaching out for anything to keep her balance. Guy's hand caught her arm and his other one found the small of her back, steadying her.

It only took an instant for her steps to become certain again, but Guy's hand slid down her arm and grasped her hand gently. The feel of the leather was so impersonal that Marian found herself reaching down and drawing off his glove with her other hand before allowing her hand to rest in his. The feeling of his skin against hers was more pleasant than she expected, and it caused a quiet sensation of peacefulness to grow in her.

It was strange, wandering quietly through the woods in the night, holding Guy's hand and inwardly wondering at herself - knowing that she would not wish Robin to find her like this.

As they came to the edge of the woods and stepped into the grass, the twinkling lights of Locksley became visible and Marian gave an involuntary sigh of relief.

A moment later, a cocky voice spoke and Guy's hand tightened around hers.

"Well now, Gisborne, bringing your lady home?"

"Don't even think about it, Hood," swinging around so that he was between her and the voice, Guy held his charred torch out like a sword, "We've got you outnumbered."

"Sure you do," anything but convinced, Robin's voice continued, "Drop whatever weapons you have; I just want to talk with you."

"I am in no mood to have a casual conversation with you!"

"Very well," the sickle moon escaped it's cloudy covering for a moment to show Robin's shadowy figure nodding it's head slightly and Marian could imagine the grim pleasure on his face, "John?"

Wind whistled around the staff as it collided with Guy's head. Marian jumped and ducked as he slumped to the ground, a feeling of concern and sympathy flying through her.

"Robin!" disapproval evident in her tone, "_That_ was unnecessary."

"Allan?" Robin asked - ignoring her for the moment - and then again with growing annoyance, "Allan?"

"He's not here," Djaq's voice spoke up after a moment, "He must have left during your conversation."

"We do not worry about him," John was getting tired of this whole business - the only reason Robin had convinced them to join him was because his plan seemed to be the only choice, "We take Marian and Gisborne back to camp and talk to them; we can deal with Allan later."

"I will take them back to camp," Robin contradicted, "You four go find Allen; he will have guards combing the forest in minutes if we're not careful."

John sighed and nodded; his words made sense - even though the whole idea of Robin alone at camp with the two people in question didn't seem to be the best - this wouldn't take long.

. . .

"Robin," Marian stepped faster to keep up with him, "Let us go; give me a chance to talk to him - to explain what needs to be done."

"No," Robin huffed - Guy's body hanging over his shoulder was heavier than he expected, "I'm not going to let you sweet-talk him."

"Jealous?" _What a silly question, _her mind screamed_, That is what this whole situation is really about._

"Of him?" scoffing, he lengthened his stride to cover more ground - wanting to reach the camp as quickly as possible, "No; I'm trying to save England."

It was always like this - he made everything a patriotic issue and skirted around personal ones. It was hard to argue with someone who had the entire country and the King on his side.

"Tell me the truth."

"Can you just wait until we reach the camp?" he asked, with thinly veiled agitation, "I'm going to explain everything to your..." he choked on the word and stopped.

Marian had the good sense to wait until they reached the camp before asking anymore questions.

. . .

It wasn't too long before they were back at camp waiting for Guy - who was tied to a convenient tree - to regain consciousness. As Robin finished pulling the knots tight, he turned and silently took Marian by the arm.

"What are you doing?" she asked apprehensively, eyeing the coil of rope he held on his shoulder, "Do not tie me up again."

"Marian, please!" Robin exclaimed, "Listen to me! I need him to take your danger seriously - it's our only chance to get him to help us."

"And what is your plan if simply seeing me bound is not enough to disturb him sufficiently?" raising her eyebrows she planted her feet firmly, refusing to be led to the tree across from Guy.

"I will convince him that I will harm you if he does not agree," seeing her eyes widen he hurried to reassure her, "I wouldn't hurt you - you know that. If you just play along I won't even have to cause you any discomfort."

"I will not allow you to bind me again." Shaking her head, she pulled her arm free and stepped back a pace.

"Then what you do suggest?" clearly frustrated, Robin dropped the rope, "Do _you_ have an idea? We don't have much time."

"Make a loop around my wrists - so that it looks as though I am not here by my own will," Marian said slowly, her mind working, "When he wakes up, I will ask why you brought me here - you can explain his part in the planned assassination, I will show my horror... he knows that I would never willingly live with a traitor. He will agree to work against the Sheriff in exchange for ..."

As Marian hesitated, Robin finished for her, "Having you as his wife."

"Yes," she agreed quietly, "As his wife."

"I will not allow you make that promise!"

"_I_ will not allow the king to die!" defiance showed in her eyes and then flickered out as she looked away, "And the promise was already made."

A groan from Guy's direction prevented Robin's intended response.

"Very well - we'll try your plan first." hastily wrapping a loop of the rope around her wrists, he secured the other end around a tree and nudged her into a sitting position before her husband opened his eyes.

"Hood!" Guy's voice was slightly hoarse, but as full of hatred as ever as he blinked in the firelight - looking rather disoriented.

"Why did you bring us here?" Marian hurried to exclaim, knowing that if this was going to go the way that she intended she would need to have full control over the conversation.

At the sound of her voice, brief confusion flashed across his face, replaced by a dawning expression of horror and unspeakable wrath.

"If you've hurt her..." his voice was more than threatening as Robin stepped aside to allow him to see Marian across from him - it was positively murderous, "In _any_ way... I will kill you. You will die more slowly..."

"And painfully than any man has ever died? I've heard that before. For the moment," Robin's voice was unreadable as he interrupted the irate husband, "She is perfectly well; whether or not she will stay that way depends on you."

"I'm listening." his expression darkened with apprehension as he looked from his bride to the outlaw.

"Lady Marian..." the outlaw began.

"Gisborne." Guy muttered.

"Marian," Robin repeated, a cheeky tone to his voice that almost made Marian roll her eyes, "Your father was always a loyal subject to our king. Surely your hatred of me has not changed your opinion of - or fealty towards - your king?"

"You know it has not," voice cool, she looked up at him questioningly "What is your point?"

"The man that you married today," swinging his head around, Robin met Guy's glare with accusing eyes, "Not only attempted to kill the king in the Holy Land, but is now involved in another plan to assassinate our sovereign as he is on the very brink of returning home."

Marian was silent for a moment before speaking up with just a tinge of doubt to her voice, "No, you're wrong. He is a good man - he wouldn't..."

"Yes, he would." Robin walked back to her and knelt in front of her, his voice just loud enough for Guy to hear, "You know that he is completely under the command of the Sheriff - he does everything the man says - and now the Sheriff has orders from Prince John..."

"You have no proof!" lip curling as he spoke, Guy continued to glare at Robin.

"Marian knows that I am no liar," pride showed in his tone as he glanced at the other man, "But if you are asking for proof, you will find it under a skull in the Sheriff's room."

Even in the light of the campfire Marian could tell that her husband paled at the words.

"Guy?" she asked, allowing uncertainty to cloud her face.

"He is trying to turn you against me," Guy said insistently, "He is bluffing."

"If you will not believe me," sitting down so that their figures made a triangle around the fire, Robin spoke seriously, "Would you believe any of my men? They will swear that the paper is there and that the contents include a command from Prince John to end the life of his brother."

"It is true, then?" Looking convinced - and considerably disheartened - Marian turned towards the bound man across from her. "How could you? I told you that I would never marry you if something like that were the case!"

"I don't remember you asking this afternoon." Guy shot back before raising an eyebrow, "But I'm telling you now: I have no intention of killing the king."

"And he has such a good record of always telling you the truth." Robin put in sarcastically.

"I have never..." Guy began, voice trailing off as he remembered that he had lied to her - more than once.

"You lied to me about the king returning," Marian said hotly; this had never stopped troubling her.

Guy did not have to ask what she was talking about - the scar next to his left eye reminded him daily that he had not told her the truth voluntarily, but only when confronted by Much.

"The Sheriff lied to _me_!" Guy shouted, but his voice and face softened as he continued, "When he finally told me that the King was an impostor, I went to your house as quickly as I could. When I arrived you were unwell and unable to speak to me. Your father said that you were excited by the prospect of our wedding, and I decided that the Sheriff's plan need have no impact on our happiness."

"You did not mention it to me when I came to see you soon after." Forgetting about Robin, Marian leaned forward slightly - eager to hear what Guy would say.

"I was distracted," Guy frowned and shook his head, "The NightWatchman had stolen some of my belongings."

"What about when you said that you never went to the Holy Land to kill the King? Was _that_ the truth?" Marian eyed him with genuine suspicion.

The leaves rustled as Robin shifted his weight, watching the two of them closely.

"We will talk more later," Guy's eyes flickered to Robin and then returned to her face, "In private."

"I wonder how Marian feels about doing that kind of..." Robin paused for a significant moment, "Talking... with a traitor."

"He is right," Marian watched as Guy's face fell at her affirmation, "I cannot live with a man who is actively participating in plots against the king. But Guy," leaning forward once more, "Please, help save the king from the Sheriff! You're a good man - and I will love you for it."

"Listening to outlaws now?" he sneered, masking the pain and debate in his eyes before looking back to Robin, "What do you hope to gain from this, Hood? Or is there more between you and Marian than meets the eye?"

"I simply thought that it would be foolish to attempt to offer you a reward for going against the Sheriff if your lovely bride would do it for me," walking over to the tied man, Robin spoke so only Guy could hear him, "So the idea is, you save the king and Marian is your wife - your real wife... refuse, and I offer her an easy way out and bring her to her aunt in France."

"She would never go with you," Guy stated, watching Robin carefully, "She doesn't trust you."

"She trusts my men," tilting his head slightly to the side, Robin let a small smile come across his face, "Or have you forgotten that it was Much that she believed over you at your disaster of a first wedding? Now, will you agree or shall I offer her safe passage to her aunt's manor?"

Guy was silent for a long moment, then he spoke up as Robin began to turn away, "If I were to agree, you would set us both free - unharmed?"

"I would," Robin nodded, "You immediately, and her when the king is safe."

"If I return without Marian the Sheriff will notice," Guy eyed him calculatingly, "Any attention from the Sheriff and your plan won't work."

"Very well." Robin nodded.

"Pardon?" suspicious astonishment flew over the other man's face.

"I said very well." Robin replied soberly, "I will let you and Marian return to the castle, you will keep the king alive. I accept your conditions - with one of my own: if the king dies, or I suspect you of abusing your wife, I will get her and take her to France - beyond your reach. Willing or not."

"You expect me to agree?" Guy snorted.

"Refuse and I offer the escape to her right now." Robin shrugged, "And only consider bringing her back to you when the king is saved."

.

Marian had been straining to hear the conversation for the past few minutes, and now watched as the two men locked eyes silently. A moment later Robin turned towards her and Guy's voice cried out - stopping him. Robin sent a barely perceptible wink her way before turning back to the other man.

A few more seconds of quiet talking, and then the outlaw came over and cut through the rope that supposedly bound her hands.

"All set," he whispered in answer to the unasked questions that filled her eyes, "Just keep up your end."

. . . .

Hope you enjoyed it! :-) Reviews = incentive to keep writing! ;-)


	6. Chapter 6

My sincerest apologies - I have been unbelievably busy over the past months and have had many more things on my mind than writing (though of course nothing is more important than writing Guy and Marian fanfics). ;-) I got on today and wrote up a very short chapter... was going to wait until I had more to publish, but then decided that I'd give you what I have and write another chapter later. :-) Hope you enjoy it!

. . . . . . .

The remainder of Marian's first night as Lady Gisborne was spent alone in the master bedroom at Loxsley.  
Though she could almost_ feel_him seething beside her as they walked, Guy had silently attended her to the bedroom door and then left the house without a word.

The night was chilly, and she found herself unable to relax in the bed that had belonged - at different times - to the two men who were at the forefront of her mind.  
Despite the fact that she had successfully helped Robin to convince Guy to work against the Sheriff and save the King, satisfaction and sleep eluded her as she stared into the heavy darkness above the bed. All of the life-changing events of the past twelve hours seemed like a dream - almost ludicrous in their improbability, yet completely clear... and dreadfully real.

It wasn't until the first light of dawn peeped through the slats on the windows that her eyes closed and she drifted into an uneasy doze.

. . .

It was nearly noon by the time Marian awoke to the sound of heavy boots ascending the stairs. A moment later, as she was still blinking the sleep from her eyes, the door was flung open and Guy stepped inside.

Her heart jumped and her hands clenched around the quilt in spite of herself - his eyes were a guarded mirror of the unshakable pain and confusion that she knew shone in her own.

"Get dressed," his tone was clipped and cold, "You're coming to the castle."

Turning on his heel, he left without another word.

. . .

"Lady Marian is to be confined to her room - the door is to remained locked and guarded at all times."

Guy's parting words to her guards two days before still seemed to echo off of the stones. Marian alternately paced the room and sat at the open window, feeling caged by the walls of safety. The frantic need to be free seemed to grow by the second until it seemed unbearable, but still she stayed - knowing that the plan to save the king would only work if she remained where she was.

Though she had never been happy at the center of a crowd, to be suddenly deprived of all human companionship filled her with an aching loneliness that was only made worse by the dull boredom that threatened to drive her mad.

.

It was after supper on the third day that she finally reached her limit. Getting to her feet from the chair that she had been sitting in almost the entire day, Marian bent down and grasped the small rug near the door of her room; finally desperate enough to try the plan that seemed to have the best possibility of success.

Rolling the heavy, loosely-weaved fabric into a tube, she held it over the small fire that was kept burning all year to keep the stone room comfortably dry. Little wisps of smoke had just begun to rise from the end in the fire when the sound of Guy's voice speaking to the guards at the door made her drop the rug and stamp on the end before hurrying back to her seat by the window.

A moment later a key was heard in the lock and then the door opened and Guy stepped inside. Angry at her confinement, Marian kept her face to the window and did not acknowledge his presence.

"Marian," his voice was not gentle, but it did not have the same edge to it as the last time he had spoken to her, "Your horse and mine are saddled and waiting in the courtyard. Change quickly - we're going for a ride."

Though she had resolved to remain silent and rigid, the thought of being free of the castle for a while overpowered her pride and she turned and met his eyes - hatred noticeably absent from her solemn expression.

"Very well," she agreed, "I will join you shortly."

For a moment he made no move to leave, seeming to toy with the idea of staying as his bride dressed, but after a moment he turned abruptly and left - closing the door behind him.

Marian regarded the door thoughtfully for a moment before turning her attention to her attire.

. . .

As always, if you enjoyed it or have a kind suggestion, please do review... if you hated it, don't tell me. ;-) Hope y'all are enjoying your summer! :-)


	7. Chapter 7

I'm BACK! :-) Here's a short chapter just because it's been waaaaaaaaay too long since I updated! :-)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

As Guy waited for his bride to join him in the courtyard, his mind continued to replay his recent conversation with Hood as it had all day. It was still just as infuriating to realize just how much everything had played into Robin's hand as it had been when the discussion first took place. His anger towards Marian, however, had all but disappeared. He still felt slightly irritated that she continued to take Hood's word over his own, but the more he had thought about it, the more he had realized that he had really given her no consistent reason to trust his word. From all appearances, the number of times he had lied to her was almost certainly in the dozens. After spending most of the previous night and most of the day on horseback, he had decided that as her husband he owed her the truth –he only hoped she would believe him - and so had returned for his bride as well as a fresh horse.

Marian made her way down the stairs toward the courtyard where her husband waited. Her husband! How much had changed with that one simple fact. The ordeal at the camp had been so familiar and yet so very strange as she had looked across to realize that the man tied across from her was the one that she had sworn before God to honor and obey. How it changed things… so many things.

.

Guy turned as she entered the courtyard, "Ah, there you are." Knowing her skill with a horse, he did not offer her his hand but instead swung himself onto his own mount.

Marian followed suit but said nothing as they left the courtyard together.

Once out of the city the breeze felt invigorating as it filtered through her hair, waking her from her solemn pensive state and making her lean forward with a yearning to go faster. Guy noticed and smirked to himself as he urged his horse to a gallop, a challenge he knew she'd not be able to resist. A brief smile flashed across her face as she accepted the silent invitation and as the two horses streaked across the fields, she felt a taste of freedom for the first time in far too long.

.

By the time they went to a canter and then a walk, Marian's frustration with Guy had been all but forgotten and when she met his eyes again it was with a smile of genuine enjoyment

The brightness of her eyes and color in her cheeks coupled with her rare smile made Guy smile as well and it seemed to him in that moment that he would have done anything to keep that happiness in her face.

"Marian, I," Guy hesitated, though he had decided what it was he wanted to say, the words did not come easily, "I wish to have no secrets between us. I know that neither one of us" he held himself back from putting emphasis on the words "has always been honest with the other."

The smile was gone and the windows of her eyes were suddenly guarded, her face revealing nothing.

" More than anyone else I think you know that I am not used to being a… husband," his voice warmed at the words, "But I do not want to have lies or misconceptions between us, especially now."

She watched him carefully as he dismounted and held out his hand for her to do the same.

"Will you not give us a chance to build a partnership?" he asked as she hesitated, "Give me at least the chance you gave Hood – the chance to know you and to have you know me. You are my wife and when I tell you all the truth, you will truly hold my life in your hands."

Her curiosity aroused, Marian took his hand and nodded.


	8. Chapter 8

AAAHHH! I actually wrote this chapter in November the day after my last update, but wanted to read it over one more time before I published it... Yep... that evening my computer had SEIZURES and refused to accept any changes or access the internet! Apparently my start up disk was full, but I have FINALLY fixed the situation and can now update with the chapter that I'm sure is essential to your happiness... ok, maybe not essential... ;-)

. . .

He had begun his story with a brief overview of the first few years after he had been forced to leave his childhood home. There was not much to tell – hunger and cold had been his worst enemies as he had attempted to provide for his younger sister.

"…After some time passed we were desperate. At that point I agreed to betroth Isabella to a very wealthy man, she was only 13 at the time, and had I been older, more experienced I would not have made such a hasty decision. But," an almost inaudible sigh escaped him, "We had to eat - at the time I considered that the most important thing - and I thought that with him she would be well provided for…"

Marian glanced up at him briefly and saw what was almost a flash of regret as his voice trailed off, a moment later it was gone and he resumed his tale.

"I took the money that he offered me in return for the agreement and used it sparingly… and wisely. I eventually became part of the King's personal guard and from there…" The words stuck in his throat and he turned to face the woman walking beside him.

"Marian," bringing his hands to her shoulders he bent his head a bit as his eyes searched her face, "I have never spoken of this to another person. Before I continue, swear on your father's soul that you will not tell this to anyone… _anyone_, even to save a life – especially my own. Or Hood's."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she inclined her head as Guy glanced around and lowered his voice, leaning forward more intimately than she would normally have allowed.

"The king has a secret group, the members of which are known only to himself. He chooses only those men that would choose his life over that of their own child, who would face death without flinching if he ordered it, who have no wife, no sweetheart, no one that they would be tempted to share the secret with. The penalty for sharing that secret is death. By boiling in oil to be precise."

A troubled look entered into her eyes, "But surely the king…"

"The king that you know and love is a king created for the people by his representatives. Richard is but a man - a man with flaws - Marian, but with so cleverly constructed a persona that not even those closest to him know entire the truth."

"The truth?" it was her turn to search his face for answers.

"The truth. Even Hood – after his time in the king's personal guard – still believes that Richard desires peace and is fighting for it, aching for it and dying inside every day that his men die in the battlefield." Scorn dripped from his tone.

"But?"

"But whether you or any other royalist like it or not, war is the health of any monarch. People will, for the most part, love and idolize a king who fights for God and country… they will be much more forthcoming with their offerings, praise, and support for a leader in the battlefield than one who sits in his castle using their hard earned taxes to ensure that he is able to enjoy all the women and wine he desires." He shrugged, "According to Hood the king was fighting for peace but one night men dressed as Saracens came and attacked the king. Hood fought for his life and wounded one of them, creating a scar through a very unique tattoo. He then recognized that same scar and tattoo on my own arm shortly before our first attempt at a wedding."

Pausing, Guy seemed to expect a reply, but when a faint nod was all he got, he continued.

"Hood was wrong – though to be honest, his only mistake was in believing what he saw. The entire truth would have been nearly impossible to ascertain. The king was having trouble – the men were tired of the old hardtack and oppressive heat and wanted to go home, there were rumors and wonderings as to why peace had not yet been declared and some spoke in whispers of deserting. And so as the most loyal and trusted of all subjects, our group received word that it would be our mission to create a reason for the men to keep fighting, a reminder, if you will, that their king needed their support and help. It was all planned, we even knew how many men we would kill and who they would be, down to the very moment that I reached the king – I even had to hesitate a moment before I attacked him to ensure that I would be stopped as my pursuer was not able to keep up."

"Robin," sudden understanding flowed into Marian's eyes, "He caught up and injured you. He was left for dead and you fled."

"Because of my injury I was discharged from the king's service and sent home. He could not risk someone recognizing me and linking my name with his. If anyone was to find out that I was there that night, the understanding was that I would accept full blame and responsibility for my 'treason'. Fortunately the Sheriff hired me; a man who certainly would not have had a problem with my actions even if I really did attempt to take the king's life. The Sheriff is very single-minded in his pursuits and in his efforts to learn ever more about the king, even found out about the Dark Knights… though his understanding of what they really are is flawed and incomplete."

"The Dark Knights… Others from your secret group?"

"Yes, others who, like me, had suffered from some kind of injury or mark while functioning on a confidential level. Most have lost something noticeable – limbs, fingers, eyes – and most were better compensated than myself and thus were able to pass themselves off as noblemen, at least until…"

"Until the king returns with men like Robin who will identify and bring up on charges those men they wounded believing them to be traitors." Marian finished for him.

"Precisely," he confirmed, watching for her reaction.

"So this isn't about the king at all?" Marian questioned, "It's about the men in his guard?"

"One last job to ensure that no one recognizes us before we escort the king to safety, protecting him from men like Vaisey until he is back in his own castle."

Silence hung in the air for several minutes as Marian digested his words before she spoke again.

"You do know that plan will never work," she stated more than asked, her eyes watching his face, "Your Dark Knights would have to kill too many men for it to succeed."

"Perhaps." Guy acknowledged, his eyes seeming to avoid hers for the first time during their conversation.

Marian looked at him curiously but, for the moment, was silent as they continued their walk.


End file.
